Type-writer.



No. 762,065. I PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904.

J. H. KIDWELL. TYPE WRITER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1903. N0 MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THi mums PETERS co PuoTo-umo, WASNINGYON, n. c.

No 762,065. PATENTED JUNE 7,1904.

J. H. KIDWBLL.

TYPE WRITER.

APPLICATION rmm MAY 1, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS3HBET 2.

m: mums PETERS can PHOTO-LIYHO.1\VASH\NGTON n PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904.

J. H. KIDWELL.

TYPE WRITER. v APPILIOATION HLED MAY 1, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET a.

I I l I II I no MODEL.

wifgess s 6?? #54.

No. 7e2,oe5.

UN TED STATES Patented June '7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

TYPE-WRITER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,065, dated June '7, 1904.

Application filed May 1, 1903. Serial No. 155,178. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J EREMIAII H. KIDWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burning Springs, in the county of l/Virt and State of IV est Virginia, have invented a new and useful 'Iype-VVriter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to type-writing machines, and especially to that class of machines which print transversely of the platen as distinguished from longitudinally of the same and in which the platen-rotates for letter-spacing and moves longitudinally for line-spacing, and has for its objects to produce a machine of this character which will be simple of construction, eflicient in operation, and one in which the number of parts is materially redueed, with a consequent reduction in the cost of manufacture of the machine.

To these ends the invention comprises the details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View, partly in section, of my improved type-writera Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section, of the platen and its sustainingshaft. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the opposite or gear end of the platen. Fig. 515 a fragmentary longitudinal detailed. sectional elevation on an enlarged scale. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detailed sectional elevations illustrating, respectively, the space-pawls engaging the platen, the line-pawl engaging the same, and the paragraph-pawl engaging the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the base of the machine, having a pair of rear standards 2 and a pair of front standards 3 arising vertically therefrom.

4 is a horizontal bar or rod sustained by the rear standards, and 5 a similar rod sustained by the front standards, this latter rod beingspirally threaded, asat 6 6-, said threads be ing mutilated or interrupted by shoulders 7, formed by diagonallydisposed grooves 7', which connect the threads for the purpose hereinafter described.

The bars 4 and 5 have movably mounted thereon a framework or carriage 8, which sustains the operating mechanism of the machine.

This operating mechanism comprises a drum 9, ournaledon a horizontal shaft 10 and carryinga spiral spring 11, adapted to be wound from time to time by a key 12 to supply power for driving the mechanism, and a gear 13, carried by the drum and in mesh with a pinion 14, carried by a cylindrical sleeve 15, slidingly mounted on shaft 5 and carrying the platen 17. The gear 13 carries a pivoted pawl 18, which engages a rack 19 to prevent 'the platen to permit of the writing being viewed by the operator.

This frame sustains the type-bars 28, which are so disposed therein that'they will strike at a common center (indicated by 0;) on the platen. The type-bars are operatechas usual, by linger-keys 29, carried by horizontal levers 30, suitably pivoted at their front ends and bearing at their rear ends upon a pivoted bail or frame 31 and adapted as the key-levers are operated'to depress the frame 31, which in turn actuates a vertically-disposed frame 32 for the purpose presently described.

The )acin between letters and words is i accomplished by rotating the platen step by step in the following manner: As each of the keys is operated to impress a letter upon the paper onthe platen its corresponding lever depresses the frame 31, which in turnexerts a downward pull upon the vertical frame 32, which latter operates a crank-arm 33 to rock a horizontal shaft 34, jour'naled in suitable bearings 35, carried by tlie"frame 8, against the action of a torsion-spring 36, mounted on the shaft. The shaft is provided with a pair of fixed pawls 37 38, the latter of which normally engages teeth 39 of a gear 40, fixed in any suitable manner to the inner end of the platen, the number of teeth on the gear being equal to the number of letters and spaces contained in a line of print, and as the shaft 34 is rocked the pawl 38 is moved laterally out of engagement with the teeth on the gear while the pawl 37 is brought into engagement with the same, and during this alternate engagement and disengagement with the pawls the platen is advanced one tooth at a time, the platen being rotated through the medium of pinion 14, gear 13, and spring 10, as will be readily understood. In this connection it is to be noted that the gear is free of teeth for a space sufficient to admit of the platen rotating sufiiciently to clear the clamps and to prevent accidental striking of the same by the type characters.

43 indicates a spring-controlled finger-lever pivoted in a bearing 44 to lie parallel with the rod 5 and having at its inner end a depending finger 45, which extends through a perforation in the wall of the sleeve 15 for engagement with the threads on the rod 5. During the step-by-step movement of the platen for letter-spacing, as just described, the finger travels in one of the spiral threads 6 and guides the platen in a straight line for producing a straight line of print, it being understood that during one revolution of the platen, or, that is, the writing of one line, the finger will have traveled from end to end of one of the threads 6 and will at the completion of the line contact with the shoulder 7. Thus at the end of each line the finger is in position to advance through one of the grooves 7, through which it is automatically advanced by means of the tension device 47 48, later described, to space between lines and bring the parts to position for the beginning of the next line.

The gear 40 is provided with a laterallyprojecting linger 41 and the shaft with afixed pawl 42, while 43 is a spacing-key susceptible of a downward movement sufficientto depress the frame 31 a greater distance than do the other keys, and thus through the medium of vertical frame 32 rock the shaft 34 sufficiently to move both of the pawls 37 38 out of en gagement with the gear 40 and at the same time bring the pawl 42 into the path of the finger 41, whereby should a line of print terminate before the finger 45 reaches the terminal of one of the threads 6 the space-key may be actuated, when the platen will be released and complete its revolution. At the end of said revolution the finger 41 will contact with the pawl 42 and stop theplaten in position for the finger 45 to travel through one of the grooves 7 through which it will be advanced, as above explained. In this connection it may be said that when it is desired to move the platen back and forth on the rod during the operation of adjusting the same for correcting the work the outer end of the finger-lever 43 may be pressed to disengage its finger 45 from the threads of the rod, which will admit of the platen being moved freely back and forth longitudinally of the rod or the finger 43 may be locked out of engagement with the threads 6 of the shaft spaced that travel between them will advance the platen the distance equal to one-half of the distance which it will be advanced by the threads 6, and the platen carries at its end opposite to that carrying finger 43 a second and similar spring-controlled finger-lever 43, pivoted in a bearing 44 and provided with a depending finger 45, which extends through a perforation in the wall of the sleeve for engagement with the threads 6, and this finger may be locked out of engagement with the threads of the sleeve by a latch similar to that for so looking the finger 43. From this con struction it will be seen that the carriage may be moved for either line or half-line spacing at will by locking either of the respective finger-levers 43 or 43 out of engagement with the threads on the shaft 5 and releasing the other finger for engagement with the same.

47 indicates a spring-actuated drum, which tends to wind a band 48, attached in any suitable manner to the carriage and operating to draw the same from left to right in the manner and for the purpose as usual.

49 indicates a line scale or index in the form of a narrow metal strip suitably graduated and wrapped transversely around the platen at its inner end adjacent to the spacing-gear 40 and cooperating with a pointer carried by the frame of the machine for indicating the lines.

50 indicates a suitable pointer or indicator mounted on the ribbon-frame 51 and adapted to indicate the center it at which the types strike in order to facilitate corrections.

52 indicates a pawl projecting from the shaft 34 for engagement with a finger 53 on the outer face of the gear 40. This finger is so positioned that it will stop the rotation of the carriage at a point proper for the beginning of paragraphs, and 54 indicates a paragraphkey, which when actuated will, through the medium of the frames 31 and 32, rock the shaft 34 suificiently to move its other pawls out of engagement with the gear 40 and permit free rotation of the platen until stopped by this latter pawl and finger.

Mounted at the outer end of the platen is a guide 55 in the form of a suitable metal rod bent into semicircular form with its ends sccured by screws or otherwise to the platen.

This guide or framesustains an adjustable finger 56, adapted to overlie the platen and clamp the lower edges of envelops or of sheets of paper of awidth insufficient to extend entirely around the platen. This clamp is adjustable on the frame and may be held in any of its various positions by means of a set-screw.

The general operation of the device is as follows: The operator clamps the paper around the platen, which is of a circumference equal to the standard width of the paper and of a length suflieient to accommodate legal cap. He then operates the keys in the usual manner to print the characters on the paper, and as each character is printed it causes the rotation of the platen sufiicient' to space between letters and words, and as the platen advances for this purpose the line of print will extend transversely around the same. At the end of each line the platen will be advanced, as above described, for spacing between lines, such spacing whether whole or half line being determined by the engagement of the levers 43 43, as the case may be, with the respective threads. At the termination of each short line the space-key 43 is actuated to release the platen and permit it to complete its revolution and be stopped by the pawl 42 and [inger 4:1 in line-spacing position, as heretofore explained. If, however, the next line is to begin a paragraph, instead of operating the usual space-key the paragraph-key is oper ated, which will permit the platen to make a complete rotation to space between the lines, but will stop the same at the proper point for the beginning of the paragraph.

It is to be understood that minor changes may be made in the details herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, instead of employing a key for winding the power-spring 1 may provide the same with automatic winding mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a spirally-threaded rod having its threads connected by grooves, of a platen movably mountedon the rod, means for rotating the platen step by step for letter-spacing, a lever carried by the platen in engagement with the threads on the rod, means adapted upon each revolution of the platen to advance the same for line-spacing, means for releasing the platen at the end of each short line, and means for automatically completing the rotation of the platen when so released.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a spirally-threaded rod having its threads connected by grooves, of a sleeve movably mounted on the rod, a platen carried by the sleeve, means for rotating the platen step by step for letter-spacing, a lever carried by the sleeve and having a finger extending through the latter into engagement with the threads on the rod, means adapted upon each revolution of the platen to advance the same for line-spacing, means for-releasing the platen at the end of each short line, and means for automatically completing the rotation of the platen when so released.

3. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a rod, of a platen movably mounted thereon, a spacing-gear carried by the platen and provided with a laterally-projecting finger, a rock-shaft provided with letter-spacing pawl engaging the spacing-gear, means actuated. by finger-keysfor operating the rockshaft for letter-spacing, means adapted upon each revolution of the platen for advancing the same longitudinally for line-spacing, means for releasing and completing the rotation of the platen at the end of each short line, and a pawl carried by the rock-shaft for engaging the finger on the spacing-gear to stop the platen at the point of beginning of the next line.

4. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a rod, of a platen movably mounted thereon, a spacing-gear carried by the platen and provided with a late'rally-projecting fin- I ger, a rock-shaft provided with letter-spacing pawls engaging the spacing-gear, means actuated by the finger-keys for operating the rock-shaft for letter-spacing, means adapted upon each revolution of the platen for advancing the same longitudinally for line-spacing, means for releasing and completing the rotation of the platen at, the end of each short line, means for normally stopping the platen at the point of beginning of the next line, and a pawl carried by the rock-shaft and adapted when a certain key is actuated to engage the finger on the gear and stop the platen at the point of beginning of a paragraph.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a rod, of a platen movably mounted thereon, a spacing-gear carried by the platen and provided with a pair of laterally-projecting fingers, a rock-shaft provided with letterspacing pawls engaging the spacing-gear, keyactuated mechanism for operating the rockshaft for letter-spacing, means adapted upon each revolution of the platen for advancing the same longitudinally for line spacing, means for releasing and completing the rotationof the platen atthe end of each short line, a pawl carried by the rock-shaft for engagement with one of the fingers on the spacing-gear for stopping the platen at the nor mal point of beginning of a line, and a second pawl carried by the rock-shaft for engagement with the other finger on the spacing-gear to stop the platen at the point of beginning of a paragraph.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a spirally-threaded rod having its IIO threads connected by grooves, of a platen movably mounted on the rod, a spacing-gear carried by the platen and provided with a pair & 762,065

of laterally-projecting lingers, a rock-shaft provided with letter-spacing pawls engaging the spacing-gear, key-actuated mechanism for operating the rock-shaft for letter-spacing, a lever carried by the platen in engagement with the threads on the rod, means adapted upon each complete revolution of the platen to advance the same one line-space, means for releasing and completing the rotation of the platen at the end of each short line, a pawl carried by the rock-shaft for engagement with one of the lingers on the spacing-gear for stepping the platen at the normal point of beginning of a line, and a second pawl carried by the rock-shaft for engagement with the other finger on the spacing-gear to stop the platen at the point of beginning of the paragraph.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a spirally-threaded rod having its threads connected by grooves, of a platen movably mounted on the rod, a spacing-gear carried by the platen and provided with a laterally-projecting linger, a rock-shaft provided with letter-spacing pawls engaging the spacing-gear, key-actuated mechanism for operating the rock-shaft for letter-spacing, a lever carried by the platen in engagement with the threads on the rod, means adapted upon each complete revolution of the platen to advance the same one line-space, means for releasing and completing the rotation of the platen at the end of each short line, and a pawl carried by the rock-shaft for engaging the linger on the spacing-gear to stop the platen at the point of beginning of the next line.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a spirally-tlircaded rod having its thread connected by grooves, the threads upon one portion of the rod being of a different pitch from those on the remaining portion, of a platen movably mounted on the rod, means for rotating the platen step by step for letterspacing, means adapted upon each complete rotation of the platen to advance the same for line-spacing, and means carried by the platen for engaging the threads of either pitch to regulate at will the advance of the platen for half-line or whole-line spacing.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a spirally threaded rod having its threads connected by grooves, the thread s upon one portion of the rod being of a difi'erent pitch from those upon the remaining portion, of a platen movably mounted on the rod, means for rotating the platen step by step for letterspacing, means for releasing and completing the rotation of the platen at the end of each short line, means adapted upon each complete rotation of the platen to advance the same for line-spacing, and means carried by the platen for engaging the threads of either pitch to regulate at will the advance of the platen for halt-line or whole-line spacing.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a spirally-threaded rod having its threads connected by grooves, the threads upon one portion of the rod being of a different pitch from those on the remaining portion, of a platen movabl y mounted on the rod, means for rotating the platen step by step for letterspacing, means adapted upon each complete rotation of the platen to advance the same for line-spacing, a lever carried by the platen for engagement with the threads of one pitch, a second lever carried by the platen for engagement with the threads of a difi'erent pitch, and means for locking either lever in non-engaging position to regulate at will the advance of the platen for halt-line or whole-line spacing.

11. In a type-writingmachine, the combina tion with a spirally-threaded rod having its threads connected by grooves, the threads upon one portion of the rod being of a different pitch from those on the remaining portion, of a platen movably mounted on the rod, means for rotating the platen step by step for letterspacing, means for releasing and completing the rotation of the platen at the end of each short line, means adapted upon each complete rotation of the platen to advance the same for line-spacing, a lever carried by the platen for engagement with the threads of one pitch, a second lever carried by the platen for engage ment with the threads of a different pitch, and means for locking either lever in non-engaging position to regulate at will the advance of the platen for half-line or whole-line spacing.

in testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as myown l have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JEREMIAH H. KIDY ELL. \Vitnesses:

J. H. JoonUM, J12, J. Ross (JoLnoUN. 

